Fox has just closed a deal with Matthew Vaughn to come back and direct the sequel to X-Men: First Class, with Simon Kinberg writing the script and Bryan Singer back as producer.

Okay, I can deal with this. However, I want the original team back in the mix; maybe add Lorna/Polaris and Mimic as well. Also, I hope they won't mess the timeline any further. These X-stories are out of control.

"V/H/S" co-writer Simon Barrett told msnbc.com that while he does think the frightening film content was a factor in the couple's illnesses, it certainly wasn't the only cause.

The movie, which was just aquired by Magnolia Pictures, is about a group of criminals who watch a variety of homemade VHS tapes containing supernatural moments. Barrett tells us that the male viewer became sick during the film's first segment and left the theater for the lobby, where he lost consciousness and collapsed to the floor.

"Without spoiling anything, (the film's first segment) ends with a particularly intense series of scenes that involve, among other things, an injury resulting in a compound fracture that is recorded from the first person perspective," Barrett told us. In short: A broken bone pokes through a character's skin, which might disturb even the healthiest viewer.

Oooh! I so looking forward to this movie! I hope it doesn't let me down.

"My recent comments in The New York Times were about me and my personal story of being gay. I believe we all have different ways we came to the gay community and we can't and shouldn't be pigeon-holed into one cultural narrative which can be uninclusive and disempowering. However, to the extent that anyone wishes to interpret my words in a strictly legal context I would like to clarify:

"While I don't often use the word, the technically precise term for my orientation is bisexual. I believe bisexuality is not a choice, it is a fact. What I have 'chosen' is to be in a gay relationship.

"As I said in the Times and will say again here, I do, however, believe that most members of our community — as well as the majority of heterosexuals — cannot and do not choose the gender of the persons with whom they seek to have intimate relationships because, unlike me, they are only attracted to one sex.

"Our community is not a monolith, thank goodness, any more than America itself is. I look forward to and will continue to work toward the day when America recognizes all of us as full and equal citizens."

I am happy to hear that there's hope in my homestate. I just read on the Back2Stonewall's blog that the Bistro at the Bijou kicked Senator Stacey Campbell out their restaurant for his homophobic actions!

Here's the story:

Anti-Gay Tennessee Senator Stacey Campbell the force behind Tennessee’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill got a taste of his own hateful medicine this weekend when the restaurant owner Martha Boggs of the Bistro at the Bijou in Knoxville refused to serve Campbell over his anti-gay statements and hateful agenda and told him to leave.

“I didn’t want his hate in my restaurant. I told him he wasn’t welcome here. … I feel like he’s gone from being stupid to being dangerous, and I wanted to stand up to him.”

Besides the Tennessee’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill. In recent months Campbell has asserted that bullying of gay kids “is a lark”, compared homosexuality to sex with animals, that homosexuality is “glorified” in the media, and that it’s “virtually impossible” for heterosexuals to contract AIDS and that AIDS was created by a gay man who had sex with a monkey.

There's more! The Bistro is getting a lot of support on their Facebook page and now, there's a petition to recall the hateful Senator. Way to go, Tennessee!

Are Georgia elementary schools just soaking in racism? Another elementary school is trying bring slavery in the mix, but this time, it's through a game.

Parents of students at Camp Creek Elementary School in Lilburn, Ga., are outraged after a 3rd-grader told her mother about a "slave game" students had been instructed to play.

"It was kind of like tag, but we were slaves and slave catchers," mother Ericka Lasley said her daughter told her, the station reports.

Another parent, Charvia Rivers, says her children reported the same thing, but Gwinnett County Schools spokesman Jorge Quintana told the station that a district investigation found that the teacher did not organize the game.

"The district determined that the activity was student-initiated and that allegations regarding the teacher’s involvement were unfounded," Quintana said in a statement to the station. Nevertheless, the district is planning to hold diversity training for teachers in light of the incident.

The U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke directly to African leaders about their views of the gay community. He wants them to stop treating gays as criminals.

Ban told African leaders that gathered in Ethiopia's capital on Sunday for an African Union summit that discrimination based on sexual orientation "had been ignored or even sanctioned by many states for far too long".

Ban said it would be challenging for Africa to "confront this discrimination". There was no immediate response from African heads of states to Ban's speech. Many African countries outlaw homosexuality and many African churches preach against it.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Obama can sit there and let all the tax [cuts] lapse, and then the Republicans will have enough votes in the Senate in 2014 to impeach. The last year, he’s gone into this huddle where he does everything by executive order. He’s made no effort to work with Congress.

During Creating Change, the Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced strong LGBT protections in federally supported housing programs.

The Task Force blog reports:

The new rules, to be published next week, will help LGBT people and their families across the country stay in their homes, get the loans they need to buy homes, and access life-saving federal assistance programs to help get low-income people and families back on their feet.

Donovan is the first sitting Cabinet secretary in history to speak at the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force’s National Conference on LGBT Equality: Creating Change, the country’s largest annual gathering of LGBT rights advocates. They have been meeting this week in Baltimore to strategize and mobilize in this critical election year.

New news on the B and B remake, reboot or whatever this is. So, here we go with the lowdown.

There is a 'Catherine' and a 'Vincent' and this is how they meet.

Well, they first meet when she’s younger. When Catherine’s mother was killed in a car-jacking (or whatever it was – Catherine’s never been convinced it was a simple car-jacking) Vincent was the one who snatched the young girl and saved her from the same fate. As the newspapers tell us, Catherine claimed ‘the beast’ saved her but nobody has laid eyes on him since.

Years later, they’ll meet again under different circumstances. Catherine is now a feisty, slightly troubled (She can’t keep a relationship; struggles with her mother’s passing) New York City cop who comes across Vincent, the beast, at an old abandoned chemical warehouse.She’s there to speak to a man named TJ, whose car was spotted at a crime scene nights before — a young woman was poisoned. Dead. T.J isn’t there, but instead, she speaks to his ‘roomie’… who remains shrouded in shadows for the most part.

Catherine is alarmed to discover her ‘Beast’ – the one that saved her as a youngster -is the one behind the shadow. She is taken back by Vincent – once he emerges from the shadows – but despite his features, trusts him when he declares he and his friend did not hurt the girl, but only tried to help her (just as he had done numerous other times; Vincent’s become sort-of like a local ‘Batman’ to the people).

Who is Vincent?
He's a super soldier. Think of V from "V is for Vendetta" with hair.

Is this familiar?
Yes, it's the Birds of Prey/Dark Knight/Bionic Woman remake milkshake.

There's more to the story, but in a nutshell... That's it. Please check out more details here

I learn about this at Creating Change from some in the Obama Administration. They are hosting a series conferences to discuss LGBT issues.

Washington Blade has the story:In a statement, the White House identified the White House LGBT Conference on Health — which will be held in Philadelphia on Feb. 16 — as the inaugural event for the initiative. The conference is set to feature remarks from Secretary of Health & Human Services Kathleen Sebelius.

The statement says the events — which will take place from February to June 2012 — will be a collaboration between the White House Office of Public Engagement and other departments and agencies. Expected attendees include grassroots leaders, community organizers, advocates, students and others.

Future White House LGBT conferences after the initial event will be held in other places throughout the country. Topics are set to include housing and homelessness, safe schools and communities as well as HIV/AIDS prevention. According to the White House, more details will be made public later.

Fred Sainz, vice president of communications at the Human Rights Campaign, said the conferences are ”a good sign that the administration is attentive to the needs of our community.”

Some are concerned that marriage isn't listed. However, we are learning that other issues are taking center stage. I have to say at the Obama Administration session, activists talked more about homelessness and the economy. Seems like priorities are shifting.

In the lead-up to Rubio's speech, critics from a group called Presente Action had a propeller plane circling the Doral Golf Resort & Spa with a banner reading, Hey Marco: No Somos Rubios, which translates to "We aren't Rubios." It's a play on words on the word rubio, which in Spanish means blond or fair. The group is attacking Rubio largely over immigration, protesting that the senator doesn't support the pro-immigrant DREAM Act.

After saying a few words in Spanish, Rubio, who was greeted by a standing ovation, said he got a text message froma friend telling him about the airplane banner. "Marco, we're not blond," he said, translating the banner. "Which, by coincidence, neither am I -- although if I'm in the Senate for another year, I may start being a little bit more gray."

The crowd laughed. Then Rubio immediately went into the issue of immigration -- and a couple of suit-clad protesters stood up, raised signs that said "Marco Rubio -- Latino or Tea-Partino" and asked Rubio why he isn't helping them. "You're an immigrant yourself!" they yelled.

Rubio appeared unfazed. Security approached the protesters while Rubio said, "I ask that you guys let them stay, because I think that they're going to be interested in what I'm going to say." Rubio got a standing ovation. "I don't want them to leave," he repeated. "I want them to stay."

"Let them stay!" chanted the crowd.

But the protesters were escorted out.

Rubio's is rumored to be on the VP short list. However, he is not completely loved by the Latino community.

I love finding out bits of geeky info. I talked about this before, but here is more proof on the inspiration of the Jean Grey's version of the Black Queen.

Blastr notes:

In issue #132 of Uncanny X-Men, Jean Grey—flush with her stunning new Phoenix powers—gets brainwashed and forced to join the Hellfire Club. Writer Chris Claremont and John Byrne decided that, as the new Black Queen (to mirror Emma Frost's White Queen), they would give Miss Grey an edgier look.

Claremont has admitted that the Hellfire Club itself, as well as this sort of dominatrix-lite costume, was heavily influenced by the Avengers episode "A Touch of Brimstone," in which Mrs. Peel is kidnapped, brainwashed and turned into the Queen of Sin.

GOProud must be living on Earth 2, because this press release is not realistic. For some odd ass reason, they believe ANY of the busted GOP presidential candidates would be better than President Obama.

After last night’s Republican Presidential debate in Florida, Christopher R. Barron and Jimmy LaSalvia, co-founders of GOProud – an organization of gay and straight Americans seeking to promote freedom by supporting free markets, limited government, and a respect for individual rights – released the following joint statement:

“After last night’s Republican debate one thing is clear: any one of the four remaining GOP Presidential candidates would be a dramatic improvement over the failed Presidency of Barack Obama. All Americans, gay and straight, are living in the disastrous Obama economy.

“In his State of the Union address this week, Obama had the chance to admit his failures and chart a new way forward for his administration. Sadly and predictably, instead of taking responsibility he chose to double down on his failed policies and fan the flames of class warfare.

“The truth is that most Americans, gay or straight, are not better off than they were in 2008.“Each of the four remaining Republican Presidential candidates has put forward a vision for America that embraces, rather than demonizes, free enterprise. On the bread and butter issues that face gay and straight families – from healthcare to taxes to retirement security and personal freedom – all four of these candidates are head and shoulders above Barack Obama.

“Organizationally GOProud has not yet endorsed a candidate and each of the remaining candidates has supporters among our membership and leadership team.

“While we may not yet be united behind one candidate, we are united in one common purpose: to defeat Barack Obama.

“Make no mistake about it, when this primary process is over the conservative movement will unite behind the nominee. We look forward to being a part of the unified effort to make Barack Obama a one term President.”

Gov. Chris Christie continued his haterade on gay marriage the other day, however he took it to a new level by giving this sad the example about civil rights:

"The fact of the matter is, I think people would have been happy to have a referendum on civil rights rather than fighting and dying in the streets in the South. It was our political institutions that were holding things back. I don't think there's anything necessarily so special about this particular issue that it must be handled by a Legislature. Why would that be?...I dont understand how anybody could argue with letting the people decide this issue."

Chris, honey, remember in those days Blacks could NOT vote! How do you say something like that? Please go home and read you history books. What Chris said was truly ridic.

The multi-talented Darryl Stephens (from "Noah's Arc") and producer Larry Kennar are bring us a new series. It's called, "DTLA," known as DownTown Los Angeles. It's covers lives of seven friends living basically two miles from me. Here's is some more info.

DTLA is a self-financed, gay scripted drama series, best described as a cross between "Queer As Folk" and "Swingers." Six 30 minute episodes have been produced, and we are seeking funds to complete post-production and a few pick-ups on the series in order to deliver it to OutTV for an April 2012 premiere.

DTLA depicts the relationships of seven friends with varied ethnic, cultural, and sexual orientations who work and live in the vibrant community of Downtown Los Angeles. It's a story of love, friendship, loyalty, and being true to oneself - no matter what the cost. It is the first dramatic series with gay leads since "Queer as Folk," "Noah's Arc," and "The L Word."

Our eyes into this world are Lenny (Darryl Stephens of "Noah's Arc") and Bryan (newcomer Matthew Stephen Herrick), a long term couple who can no longer escape some fundamental truths about their relationship. As they begin to deal with end of their relationship - their lives, and the lives of their friends will be forever altered.

The trailer

If you think this is worth it, please donate. I think it could be a fun series. Check out their Kickstarter page

This is the one year anniversary of the human rights activist David Kato's death. David was a fierce fighter for gay rights in Uganda and worked tirelessly to bring about change to the people.

Since then, Katherine Fairfaz and Malika Zouhali-Worrall created a documentary focusing on David's life and work. It is called, "Call Me Kuchu".

Here's more from the creators:

The more time we spent documenting his work, the more evident it became that, contrary to the M.P.’s claim, David and his fellow activists were, in fact, generating real debate in Uganda. Kampala’s kuchus had begun to dismantle the country’s discriminatory status quo, and were working tirelessly to change their fate and that of others across Africa.

Today, as we revisit our memories of David, we remember his fortitude and remarkable legal achievements, boldly guided by his vision of establishing a Ugandan gay village. But perhaps most of all we recall these words, spoken with more logic than defiance: “If we keep on hiding, they will say we are not here.”

Arizona Governor and mess queen Jan Brewer wasn't that excited about President Obama's arrival in Arizona. In fact, she has some words for him.

Brewer and Obama "spoke intensely for a few minutes" after he landed at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, according to a White House pool report. At one point, the GOP governor shook her finger at the president.

"He was a little disturbed about my book," Brewer told a reporter after the incident, referring to her political memoir, "Scorpions for Breakfast." In the book, Brewer depicted Obama as "patronizing" during an earlier meeting.

"I said to him that I have all the respect in the world for the office of the president," Brewer said. "The book is what the book is. I asked him if he read the book. He said he read the excerpt. So."

Brewer said Obama told her "that he didn't feel I had treated him cordially."

"I said I was sorry he felt that way but I didn't get my sentence finished," Brewer said. "Anyway, we're glad he's here. I'll regroup."

She knows she is wrong for her actions and Obama called her ass on it. I think Miss Jan better get ready for a battle.

A slew of conservative Christian parents — and even an orthodox rabbi — implored the Anoka-Hennepin School District to purge schools of any mention of homosexuality and demanded that teachers teach about the “ex-homosexual” movement and “gay-related immune deficiency.” One district member even assailed Dan Savage’s It Gets Better campaign as vulgar and accused the popular columnist of teaching children about “three-ways.” Several people testified using little more than versus from the Bible that are often used to demean and degrade the LGBT community.

The controversy in the district is over the sexual orientation curriculum policy also called the “neutrality policy” which says that LGBT issues are not to be discussed in the district’s schools. Six students are suing to eliminate the policy on the grounds that it makes for a hostile school environment and the district announced last month that they are considering scrapping the policy and replacing it with one that deals with “controversial topics” but doesn’t single out LGBT students and issues.

OLIVER QUEENWhat They’re Looking For: A 27 year old reformed bad boy, who after having spent five years shipwrecked on a tiny, brutally dangerous island in the South China Sea returns to town a different man. Or to be more specific, a tortured, thoughtful master of the bow with a ferocious determination to make a difference.

DINAH “LAUREL” LANCEWhat They’re Looking For: 28 years old, smart sexy, Laurel is a legal aid attorney determined to use her life as a one-woman war against the 1% following the death of her younger sister Sara. A sister, who as luck would have it, just so happened to have died aboard Oliver’s yacht.

TOMMY MERLYNWhat They’re Looking For: 28 years old and devil-smooth, Tommy is a trustafarian like Oliver, a spectacularly rich young man whose life revolves around parties, clubs, liquor and lots of anonymous sex. Unlike Oliver, he can’t seem to understand his former best friend’s sudden change of lifestyle and direction.

MOIRA QUEENWhat They’re Looking For: 48 years old, a beautiful woman, Oliver’s mother Moira is a very wealthy woman who is not used to being shaken. Having remarried during the five years that former husband Robert and Oliver were both presumed dead, Moira has had free rein over the Queen billions. Not surprisingly, she’s deeply interested in learning whether or not Robert will also return unexpectedly, to ruin her present marriage and go over the books with a fine-tooth comb.JOHN DIGGLEWhat They’re Looking For: 35 years old, African-American, Diggle is really, really big, a former military man who served with the Army Rangers in Afghanistan, and has been a bodyguard for hire for the last four years. Hired by Moira to be Oliver’s chauffeur and protector, Diggle soon finds he is trapped in a battle of wits, as Oliver repeatedly eludes his protection. But in fact, Diggle’s primary conflict is one of loyalty — he has to show that he’s working for Oliver, not Moira, before Oliver will give him a smidgen of trust.

THEA QUEENWhat They’re Looking For: 17 years old (suggest 17-22 years), Oliver’s Lolita-esque sister, Thea was a 12 year old girl when he went on his infamous yachting voyage — but now she’s a celebutante who’s testing the boundaries of acceptable behavior. Thea loved her big brother with all her heart, and is delighted to have him back in her life — but she’s spreading her wings, and is unprepared for Oliver to become the Bad Cop in the family, restricting her access to boys and drugs.

I'm going to attend Creating Change in Baltimore. Creating Change is a National Conference on LGBT Equality. It hosted and ran by he National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. This is one of the biggest conferences for LGBT organizing and skills-building.

And, it's a great networking event as well. I will post pics and info about what's happening. Oh, by the way our special guest is Wilson Cruz.

How would you like to be a big black man who is conservative, friends with the likes of Dr. James Dobson and Rush Limbaugh, someone who believes that there are no mistakes in the Bible, doesn’t care what people think of him, thinks the only way to make your enemy a friend is to defeat them or kill them, thinks it is okay for prisoners to be executed, thinks that the human race is at the top of the food chain, thinks it is okay to drill for oil in our own country, to kick illegals out of that same country, and thinks it’s okay to enjoy life? I am about infusing the culture with biblical truth, where ever and whenever I can no matter what the cost…Join me as we explore God’s Biblical Blueprint for an ordered, just and fair society.

As I look out in LGBT blog world, I noticed some sour faces over the President's State of the Union address. Some are very upset that he said "gay" once and spoke nothing about LGBT issues.

But I beg to differ, I believe he did speak about our issues. The economy is our issue, being in the 99% is our issue, having a home is our issue and finding/keeping a job is our issue. We should not forget those issues hurt us too. I know folks were hoping to hear about marriage, but let's be real; marriage is not the overall deal. In fact, the majority of our (LGBT) community don't see marriage as a top priority. Job security has become the major issue. Now, more than ever people are trying to stay afloat in this country. Sure marriage equality would be great, but the need for financial and economical stability trumps all. Also, a recent study backs this notion, providing reasons why many in the LGBT community don't place marriage so high.

And just because the President didn't mention marriage equality, doesn't mean he's against it. I think it's ridiculous to read that he doesn't care or he flip-flopped. His actions has been in step with his promises, he's on our side.

Please remember, he spoke to the nation. Not just Blacks, Asians and Gays... The nation. The issues he spoke about are our issues. We need to stop looking drama and start envisioning hope.

Last week, CW ordered a reboot of the 80s version of 'Beauty and the Beast'. Now, ABC has ordered another version as well.

The female-skewing network is moving forward with its reimagining of the classic fairy tale set in a mythical, dangerous world where a beautiful and tough princess discovers an unlikely connection with a mysterious beast.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Mittens ain't squeaky clean in his donations. His tax reports revealed where some of his money went. Think Progress has the story:

Mitt Romney 2012 tax returns reveal that the former Massachusetts governor donated more than $4 million to the Mormon Church, which is actively opposing marriage equality around the country. Last night, CNN reported that the Romneys’ Tyler Charitable Foundation also gave to the anti-gay Massachusetts Family Institute over a period of several years. The group opposes same-sex marriage in the state and warns parents about literature that promotes so-called “pro-homosexual books” to school children

With New Jersey so close to marriage equality, somebody had to rain on the parade. And that someone is Mr. Christie.

Gov Chris Christie called today for a voter referendum on the fall ballot over the issue of legalizing gay marriage.

If successful, the referendum would change the state Constitution. He urged Republicans in the Legislature to put the matter to voters. But if a bill made it to his desk, Christie said he would veto it.

Christie doesn't want officials to decided on marriage equality, he wants the people to decide. However, he will veto the bill if it comes to him. If the people want this, why would he deny the community? I don't get this, Chris Christie!